


Let it fill the space between

by lastchancecafe



Category: Schitt's Creek
Genre: David Rose is anxious, Gen, Holiday Plans, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Patrick Brewer is stubborn, Sickfic, but he's trying his best, but in the hospital
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-24
Updated: 2020-12-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:48:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28223421
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lastchancecafe/pseuds/lastchancecafe
Summary: This year David and Patrick were determined to host a holiday celebration that was the best of their childhood traditions and current family dynamic. There had been mood boards and spreadsheets-decorations artfully arranged and itineraries accounting for variations in weather and travel.Patrick wasn’t going to let a little cough ruin their plans.
Relationships: Patrick Brewer/David Rose
Comments: 12
Kudos: 100
Collections: Schitty Friends Gift Exchange 2020





	Let it fill the space between

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TrueIllusion](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueIllusion/gifts).



> Merry Christmas TrueIllusion 🎁 I hope this make all you holiday hurt/comfort dreams come true!

The first Brewer-Rose Christmas had been a quiet affair, the second marred by a freak blizzard that kept their families home for their own safety. This year David and Patrick were determined to host a holiday celebration that was the best of their childhood traditions and current family dynamic. There had been mood boards and budget spreadsheets-decorations artfully arranged and itineraries accounting for variations in weather and travel. 

Patrick wasn’t going to let a little cough ruin their plans. 

He and David had been running themselves ragged all week. In order to actually spend time with their families, they had hosted extra events all month long to offset the cost of closing the store for almost a whole week. This week alone David had hosted a gift wrapping workshop and a holiday cheese board tasting on top of their monthly knitting circle. Meanwhile, he’d covered extra vendor runs, stocking up on their bestsellers long enough to carry them through the holiday and the time off that many of their vendors had planned. It was no wonder he’d been feeling a little sluggish in the morning. 

So he spent a little extra time in the shower, the hot water soothing his aching muscles and loosening the tightness in his chest. He pulled on the soft cream sweater David had knitted him for his birthday hoping the extra warmth would help him through the day. He had a last-minute form to file for a grant renewal all the way at the municipal center in Thornbridge which meant he’d also been tasked with picking up the Roses at the airport. 

David was curled under the afghan on the couch-looking adorably rumpled- as Patrick made his way down the stairs. 

“You sure you’re okay to pick everyone up today? You were coughing quite a bit again last night.”

“This coming from the man who didn’t even make it home until almost 12,” he smiled, dropping a kiss on Davids’s head as he made his way towards the kitchen.

“Ronnie was very specific on the final look she wanted to achieve for Vanessa’s gift and who am I to argue with the woman who’s building the closet of my dreams next year?” He stretched as he stood, holding the blanket tight around his shoulders. “Seriously though, I’m tired but I’m not sick, are you sure you don’t want to switch?”

“It’s just a little cough, I promise I’ll be fine.” he wrapped around David’s waist wishing he could stay under the warmth of the blanket instead of heading out into the cold. “You still okay to get my parents set up and get that last load of body milk from Jeanine?”

“As much as I’m not looking forward to the heavy lifting I still maintain I got the better end of this deal.”

“Must be because I love you.”

“Mmmm well that feeling is mutual-your tea is in your travel thermos. I added some extra honey and lemon-” he stopped his husband’s protests with a kiss, “even though you’re not sick. It’ll do your throat some good.”

-*- 

Two hours later and Patrick was ready to admit defeat. He’d long finished the tea from David. And the second one he’d stopped for while he waited for the office to open. His cough hadn’t gotten any worse but the tightness in his chest wouldn’t go away-it almost felt like he was breathing underwater. 

Thankfully the paperwork was filed without a mishap or a coughing fit. He’d just grabbed another tea for the drive to the airport when his phone chimed. 

  
  
  


He felt better knowing his parents were with David, even if it was just to keep him company. His husband wouldn’t admit it but he’d been anxious about having everyone in their house for the holiday. His mom should be able to talk some sense into him. 

He pulled up to the airport, tapping on Alexis’s contact to call for the Roses. As the phone began to ring a coughing fit came over him and the world went black. 

-*-

David was loading the last crate of body milk into the Brewer’s SUV when his phone rang in the front seat. He closed the trunk and stepped around to grab it just as the ringtone cut off-only to immediately start up again.

“Oh my god what?” he snipped into the phone frustrated at his sister’s obvious lack of patience. 

“Shush David- don’t freak out but”

“Did you seriously book the wrong flight? I thought you had Dad help you with your ticket!”

“David-rude,” there was a sniff on the other end of the line that didn’t match her tone.

“Alexis, what’s wrong?”

“Okay so don’t freak out but we’re at the hospital right now-”

“The hospital!” David’s heart dropped to his stomach, was the flight too much for his dad? His parents weren’t getting any younger-

“Patrick’s going to be fine, okay. They won’t tell us much but the little ambulance guy said-.”

“Ambulance? W-what happened?” 

“I don’t know David! They need you to get here because you’re his emergency person.”

“Right,” he forced a deep breath through the tightness in his chest. He looked towards the Brewers watching him with wild eyes and forced himself to take another. “We’re at the farm now so we’re close maybe 20 minutes? You’re at Elmdale General?”

“Yes, David hurry okay?”

He stepped towards the driver’s seat on autopilot but Clint stopped him with a hand on his arm. 

“Breathe David, and give me the keys, I’ll drive.” 

-*-

By the time they pulled up to the emergency room, David had gotten his breathing under control. At least enough to feel embarrassed about totally losing it in front of his in-laws. They should be worried about Patrick, not dealing with his dramatics. Marcy placed a gentle hand on his shoulder as they entered and he felt guilty at how comforted he was. 

“I’m here for Patrick Brewer-Rose,” he gasped to the man at the check-in desk. So much for control. 

“Relation?”

“He’s my husband,” his voice held steady this time.

“Okay, it says here he’s in imaging. If you could fill out these forms for me and take a seat someone will be over for you when they have more information.”

David filled the forms with shaking hands before turning towards the waiting room. His family had already descended on the Brewers with their usual melodrama. He forced himself to take a deep breath, holding it for a full 10 count before exhaling and joining the fray. 

“Oh, David it was the most dreadful sight- Patrick unmoving in his vehicle-”

“Unmoving!” The panic was back, gripping tight in his chest at the thought.

“Well son when he didn’t answer we walked out, he was waiting in the car for us, only his head was down and he wasn’t moving-”

“Patrick Brewer-Rose?”

“Here.” The doctor took a step back at the combined volume of their group. David stepped forward stilling his hands deep in the sleeves of his sweater. 

“Here,” he said quieter, “I’m his husband David.”

“Okay, David would you like to talk someplace private?”

“They’re all family, please is Patrick okay?”

“Your husband’s going to be fine.” David could feel the group behind him relax-or maybe that was just the tension in his own body.

“He has an acute case of pneumonia. There was a small amount of fluid in his lungs making it hard to breathe-probably for the past few days. It appears he passed out due to poor oxygen saturation.” David could hear Marcy and someone else, maybe his mother, murmuring behind him but he couldn’t make out their words over the rushing in his ears. Patrick had been sick, really sick, for days and he’d been too distracted to notice. 

“-once he wakes up we’ll check-in, but we’ve started him on an antibiotic and he should be able to go home this evening.”

“Can I-” David forced a breath out, willing his voice not to shake, “can I see him?”

The doctor looked past David to where their family was crowding the waiting room. “He’s still resting, so please just you and one other person-”

“I’ll come,” Marcy’s hand was warm on his shoulder again as she pushed him towards the doctor. 

“Right this way.”

David was no stranger to the emergency room, his husband’s fondness for athletics and overconfidence on home improvement projects had led to several visits over the course of their marriage. But he was not prepared to see him unconscious in the hospital bed, pale and unmoving among the tubes. He ran his fingers over his engagement rings, moving to stack them one on each finger, before taking another breath and settling into the chair next to Patrick’s bed. He ran a tentative hand along the curve of his cheek, down and around his jaw, startling when Patrick leaned into the touch. 

“David?” His voice was painfully rough, David had never heard a more beautiful sound. 

“Shh no talking yet.” 

Patrick opened his mouth to protest but quickly closed it with a wince.

“You scared me you know,” David’s voice was soft but there was no mistaking the emotion there. 

“You scared all of us actually,” Marcy piped in. Patrick spun, wide-eyed, towards his mother who promptly handed him a glass of water from the tray table over the bed, “Sweet boy what were you doing up and around if you were so sick?”

Patrick drained the glass and let out another wet sounding cough. When the coughing subsided his voice was stronger, though still scratchy, “too much to do. I didn’t think it was that bad-” he trailed off with a shrug and another coughing fit. 

Marcy handed him another glass of water and David couldn’t help the flare of jealousy in his stomach with how easily she cared for him. Patrick pushed away the water though, tucking his head into Davids's arm with a hoarse sigh. David ran a tentative hand down his back, gaining confidence as Patrick relaxed into his touch. He couldn’t help but notice Marcy’s eyes tracking his movement, certain there had to be a better way to do this and she was just too polite to correct him. He wished she would, he really wanted to get this right. 

“David?” Alexis’s voice, surprisingly soft from the doorway, pulled him from his spiral. “So I called Stevie and filled her in on Patrick’s adorable pneumonia-”

“Acute pneumonia means it’s mild-ish.”

“Well I’m sorry but there’s nothing cute about this look, no offense Patrick,” he offered her a weak smile before leaning back into David. 

“Anyway she’s going to bring us to your house, mostly so mom will stop bothering the nurses, but I wanted to see if there was anything you need me to do when we got there?”

David still wasn’t used to this version of his sister, her casual confidence directed towards everyday tasks a reminder of all the ways she’d grown. “There’s a crockpot of soup on the counter, help yourself to some, it was supposed to be lunch but-”

“Chicken tortilla?” Patrick asked quietly. 

He squeezed his husband with a smile, “I know you like it when you’re sick.”

“And you can make it by yourself,” he whispered. 

“Yes, that too.”

“Mmm yum, David, I’ll handle your little crockpot don’t you worry.” 

“Thanks, Alexis.”

Marcy followed Alexis out of the room, eyes lingering on her boys for a moment. She watched David press a kiss to her son’s temple, shifting to hold him more securely. David inhaled deeply as if he could force Patrick's breathing to match his before he caught her looking and ducked his head shyly. 

“We’ll head back too, get settled. Take care of him for us?”

“I’m trying to,” David’s voice was small. 

“Sweet boy, you are,” she said gently and his gaze moved towards the ceiling, eyes blinking rapidly. 

“I’m so glad you think so.”

Patrick’s voice rose up, barely a whisper from the bed, “I think so too David.”


End file.
